The Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC) welcomes René Lalande, CEO Transdev in his role as Honorary Consul of Canada in Melbourne.

“On behalf of the CACC, I would like to congratulate Mr. Lalande on his appointment,” said Brian Hansen, President of the CACC.

“As CEO of Transdev’s Australasian operations, Mr. Lalande has significant experience in international operations, trade and relations”, said Mr. Hansen.

“We look very forward to collaborating with our new Honorary Consul General in Melbourne as together we support trade and business connections between Australia and Canada.”

Originally from Québec, Canada, René Lalande first came to Australia four years ago. During his time in Australia, Mr. Lalande has held senior executive positions including Managing Director at Bombardier Transportation Australia, prior to joining Transdev.

“I acknowledge and respect the work of the CACC,” Mr. Lalande said. “In my role as Honorary Consul General in Melbourne, I am particularly delighted to have the opportunity to connect with its Melbourne Committee and find ways to collaborate and further the important work of the CACC in the Melbourne market.”

“I am fortunate enough to live in the most livable city in the world, having come from one of the most livable countries in the world. There is much scope and opportunity to strengthen ties between Australia and Canada.”

CACC Director and Chair of the Melbourne Committee, Lesley Gillespie OAM said, “Mr. Lalande is a recognised business leader in both Australia and Canada and we are very excited about how we, the Melbourne Committee in particular, may work with Mr. Lalande to advance economic opportunities between our two great countries.”

The CACC will formally welcome Mr. Lalande at a special event in Melbourne later in 2017, details to follow at a later date.

The Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC) is a not-for-profit organisation whose focus is to build and strengthen trade and business connections between Australia and Canada. The CACC maintains relationships with senior and operational level resources of Government in both Canada and Australia as well as providing members with access to an extensive and growing network of individuals and organisations with an interest in the Canada-Australia business relationship.

Brian Hansen, Director and President of the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC), is pleased to announce the organisation’s first Honourary Member, Dr Sophie Galaise, and welcomes her to the CACC’s Melbourne Committee.

“Dr Galaise is an internationally recognised leader in the Arts who we are fortunate to have contributing to the leadership of our country’s cultural community,” said Mr Hansen. “I am particularly thrilled that Dr Galaise will also be contributing to the CACC’s Melbourne Committee as an Honourary Member.”

Dr Galaise joined the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as its first female director in April 2016. In 2015, Dr Galaise was a winner in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence, in the category of Culture.

“As an Honourary Member of the CACC, I look forward to supporting the organisation in representing Australian interests in Canada, and likewise, representing Canadian interests here in Australia, especially the cultural aspects of these two countries from my new home, Melbourne, one of the world’s most livable, most cultural cities,” Dr Galaise said.

Originally from Montreal, Canada, Dr Galaise started her career as a flautist. As a professional musician, Dr Galaise played with the German Orchestra in Bremen and in time worked as a Musicologist in Basel, Switzerland before moving on to Paris.

Following her success as a Coordinator of Music for the Quebec Arts Council and completing her PhD in Musicology (University of Montreal) and an Executive MBA (McGill University/HEC Montreal), Dr Galaise was appointed Executive and Artistic Director of the Orford Arts Centre (Orford, Canada). In time, Dr Galaise was appointed Executive Director of the Quebec Symphony Orchestrea before being appointed in 2013 as Chief Executive Director of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

“Honourary Member Dr Galaise is an extraordinary business woman with international expertise and I am so appreciative of her involvement in our Melbourne Committee,” said Mrs Gillespie.

Dr Galaise also sits on the board of Symphony Services International and is a member of the Advisory Council of the Harvard Business Review, the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), and The CEO Institute.

Brian Hansen, Director and President of the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC), is delighted to announce the appointment of Lesley Gillespie OAM to the organisation’s Board of Directors.

With this appointment, Mrs Gillespie becomes the second female Director on the CACC’s Board.

“Mrs Gillespie is a recognised business leader in both Australia and Canada, the CACC is privileged to have her involved,” said Mr Hansen.

“With a successful family business (Bakers Delight) that has expanded across Canada, Mrs Gillespie’s entrepreneurship is a testament to the work of the CACC, which is to forge trade and business activities between the two countries.”

Currently, Mrs Gillespie is Director of Bakers Delight Holdings Ltd which overseas all bakery operations across four countries (Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA).

“My relationship with Canada goes back to 2003 when I relocated from Melbourne to Vancouver with my husband and children to launch our first Canadian bakery, COBS Bread,” said Mrs Gillespie.

“Since then, the Canadian aspect of our business has expanded to nearly 100 locations across four provinces.

“I am proud to represent the CACC, promoting and encouraging business connections between Australia and Canada.”

In her role as Chair of the CACC’s Melbourne Committee, Mrs Gillespie will specifically focus on furthering the work of the CACC in the Melbourne market.

Melbourne-based CACC Director, Mike McGrath said of Mrs Gillespie’s appointment, “The CACC overall will benefit from Mrs Gillespie’s significant international experience, as will Melbourne, in particular."

“Mrs Gillespie’s business reach is international, however her roots are here, in Melbourne. I am thrilled to have Mrs Gillespie here, supporting the local perspective of the CACC,” he said.

Mrs Gillespie has been recognised for her many achievements with:

Fellowship from Monash University in 2013, where she earned an Honours Degree in Science and a Diploma of Education

Recipient of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2006 in recognition of her work in business and commerce and philanthropy

Finalist in the 2004 Prime Minister’s Award for Community Partnerships

Recipient of the 2002 Boroondara Citizen of the Year (an award shared with her husband, Roger)

In July, the CACC had the pleasure of hosting Andrew Ireland, CEO Sydney Swans and Mike Pyke, Canadian and ex-Sydney Swans player, to talk about business in sport. Members were treated to an intimate and honest discussion about the ins and outs of running an AFL team and insights on being a professional athlete. The Old Growler in Woolloomooloo hosted the event and members were treated to chicken wings and poutine to kick off the evening’s festivities.

Monica Lunin, Director of Mojologic, CACC Director and CACC Events Committee chair, began with a warm welcome to Jack Cowin, CACC Patron and Chairman and Managing Director or Competitive Foods. Monica also highlighted the mutual love of sports that is shared by both Australians and Canadians with the colours of the Sydney Swans being close to the “hearts of Canadians”.

Jesse Landry, Founder and Publisher of The Australian Business Executive and CACC Events Committee member, moderated the event and started the discussion by recapping the careers of both Andrew and Mike and how they both ended up meeting at the Swans.

In talking about the business of running a sports club, Andrew highlighted how the AFL has been successful at making the competition between teams as equal as possible. He remarked that purely on membership and attendance numbers, some teams would never be able to match the game revenue of the Swans - even if they filled the stadium for every game.

The AFL has been successful at getting high levels of participation. Mike sees it as a family-driven thing: “If you don’t get the basic drivers of participation, generationally, you’re going to struggle.” The discussion continued with how the AFL has been better at filling stadiums than other codes. Andrew puts it down to several factors - the long-term investment that the AFL makes at the grass roots level, and that as an Australian-based game, the best players are not interested in going anywhere else. Andrew also states: “At the of the day, it’s an entertainment vehicle and you need to put the best game on … It’s about having a good team and an attractive sport that [people] can come to in a safe environment.”

As in any business, the success of a sports team depends on the quality of the product. When the Swans started the season with six losses, Andrew noted that while there was an impact of ticket sales, he was confident that they had the right team to pull through and “to play well for a number of years”. Mike remarked that the team’s record reflected a “a change in mentality” and credits John Longmire, Swans coach and Josh Kennedy, Swans captain, for turning things around.

Both Andrew and Mike attributed the success of the Swans to the player-ownership culture within the organisation. Andrew described how in the distant past, everyone on the team was treated the same way. Now, everyone is treated as individuals, with their own self-defined “trademarks”, and where the standards are “set by the players themselves”. Mike also mentioned that the Swans have been good at defining clear roles for everyone in the organisation and entrusting them to do that job well: “We all had our trademark games, that week in and week out, we could realistically perform.“

When asked where the money comes from in AFL, Andrew described the valuable contribution of the Swan’s corporate partners and the importance of delivering measurable results to them: “The old ‘sponsor’ doesn’t exist … You go and have a serious conversation with people running serious businesses and they’ll invest money into you, if you can deliver outcomes that will drive their business.”

During the Q&A session, Mike, who is now an investment banker with Moelis Australia, talked about his career transition and provided some advice to the audience: “The hardest thing for athletes and I suspect probably just for people more generally - is to be patient. Any change that you are going to make in your life, no matter how big it is – it always takes time - time is always the best judge.” In talking about the challenges of his new career, Mike said, “It’s a matter of how you react to those challenges, the attitude you apply on top of that, and then also the ability to consistently keep putting in that effort and keep going, and over time, you’ll get an outcome.”

To mark Canada’s sesquicentennial anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Her Excellency, the Honourable Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria and Mr Anthony Howard QC hosted more than 100 people, including special guests His Excellency Mr Paul Maddison, High Commissioner of Canada and Mrs Fay Maddison at Government House on Friday, 21 July in Melbourne.

The theme of the celebrations was recognition of the ties that bind Australia and Canada. The Governor spoke about the good friendship between the two countries, in particular how Australia and Canada have fought side by side in wars across more than a century; share commercial connections by way of two-way trade substantial investment ties, and shared priorities for sustainable economic growth, global health and gender equality.

Above all, the Governor commented that it is the personal connections between the two countries that are the most important. With both countries having in common their respective Indigenous Peoples, each with proud and dignified histories.

Her Excellency highlighted several Canadians who have made significant contributions to Australia such as Alexander Robertson and John Wagner who made their fortunes on the gold fields of Victoria and were behind the famous Cobb & Co. It was Wagner who designed Stonnington House that was home to seven Governors of Victoria in the early part of the 20th century.

Another interesting Canadian connection shared by the Governor was the story of Captain Henry Ross who designed and was the standard bearer of the Southern Cross flag that flew over the Eureka Stockade.

Being Melbourne, there is of course, an AFL connection, too. Andrew McGrath, originally from Ontario, plays Half-back Flanker for the Essendon Bombers Football Club. In fact, His Excellency Mr Paul Maddison has been a supporter of the Essendon Bombers since he attended a Bombers match at the MCG back in 2007.

In his remarks, His Excellency Mr Paul Maddison spoke to the four themes of the sesquicentennial celebrations: Diversity, Reconciliation, Environment and Youth. These themes would certainly resonate for Australians and Canadians alike, again highlighting the shared values and interests of the two countries.

Several CACC members had the distinct privilege of attending this special celebration. CACC Director Mike McGrath representing the Melbourne Committee said, “For those of us Canadians who weren’t in Canada on Canada Day for the actual 150th, tonight’s event really is the next best thing. Thanks to Her Excellency and Mr Howard, tonight we honoured and truly celebrated Canada and the positive contributions both Canada and Australia have made and continue to make to one another.”

Reflecting on the festivities, Doug Wright, Chairman of the CACC’s Communications Committee said, “One of the highlights of the evening was the quartet from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra who managed to tug at the heartstrings of Canadians and Australians alike by performing the national anthems of our two countries. It’s a great time to be Australian and it’s a great time to be Canadian. What a wonderful celebration of Canada’s 150th here in Melbourne, at Government House.”

Thanks to the time difference, Australia was one of the first countries to celebrate Canada’ssesquicentennial. And the CACC was no exception, co-hosting a member cocktail party two days ahead of schedule with staff at the Canadian Consulate in Sydney.

Just over 100 CACC members attended the event to mark Canada’s 150th birthday, including Chamber Patron, Jack Cowin, and guest of honour, Amarjeet Sohi, federal Minister for Infrastructure and Communities.

Mr. Sohi was in Australia for four days to attend the Australian Financial Review Infrastructure Summit and meetings related to his portfolio.

While CACC members drank Ontario wines and enjoyed Canadian-inspired nibbles, Mr. Cowin opened the formal portion of the evening, noting the high turnout and praising founding members of the chamber for having the vision to establish a business group representing Canadian and Australian business interests many years before.

“You don’t have to walk too far to be able to see the inroads Canadian and Australian businesses are making every day and the great relationships that are being built between the two countries,” he said.

In his speech, Mr. Sohi noted that Canada 150 was an opportunity to reflect on what makes the country great and for Canadians to make the next 150 years even better by building a more inclusive and fair society for all. He talked about the importance of engaging young people, celebrating the country’s diversity, reconciliation with indigenous peoples and environmental sustainability.

The former Edmonton city councilor drew from his own experience as a 17-year-old,when he immigrated to Edmonton from the Punjab in 1981, sponsored by an older brother. He said Canada changed its immigration system for the better 50 years ago and he sees the positive effects across the country through its diverse society, strong workforce and vibrant communities.

“We can all learn from each other and that’s what we’ll be celebrating on Saturday,” he said.

Mr. Sohi talked about the warm welcome and assistance he had received from consular staff in Australia, praising them for their service to Canada. He touched on meetings arranged with government officials to discuss investments Australia and Canada are making in sustainable infrastructure and clean energy, and the need to share best practice.

He said Canada was pushing to be at the forefront of innovation when it comes to infrastructure.

Angela Bogdan, the Consul-General of Canada in Australia, thanked Mr. Sohi for making time in his busy schedule to attend the cocktail party. She said she remembered him walking up to Rideau Hall as part of Prime Minister Trudeau’s first cabinet, noting she had been moved by “the congeniality of the team members as well as the cabinet’s unprecedented diversity and gender balance.”

She also took the opportunity to promote the consulate’s growing role in showcasing Canadian food and wine at trade and consumer shows.

Ms. Bogdan then presented Jack Cowin with a memento for his services to the Canadian and Australian business community.

The evening concluded with a prize draw with several lucky attendees walking away with door prizes including hockey sticks, Montreal-style bagels and wine.

On July 1 there were many other Canada Day celebrations in Australia, including a dinner dance organised by the Canadian-Australian Club in Sydney and a pancake breakfast and flag-raising ceremony in Canberra organised by the High Commission of Canada in Australia. Eighteen iconic buildings across Australia were lit up in red and white, including Sydney’s Town Hall, Canberra’s Old Parliament House and Brisbane’sStory Bridge.

On June 21st, CACC and AMCHAM, along with Drake International, hosted some of the stars of the Ice Hockey Classic between Team Canada and Team USA in Melbourne. Lucky members were able to network with each other and mingle with coaches, trainers, captains and players from both teams in a relaxed and personal setting. The mixer also raised funds for the StopConcussions Foundation.

Representatives from both the Canadian and U.S. governments also attended the event, including H.E. Mr. Paul Maddison, High Commissioner of Canada in Australia and Scott Messick, Acting U.S. Consul General (Melbourne). Mr. Messick remarked, “The Ice Hockey Classic is a great opportunity to highlight the sport of hockey at its highest levels to our Australian friends and shine a light on the importance of concussion awareness and research.”

Mr. Maddison recapped the evening by saying, “International sporting events are great catalysts for strengthening diplomatic relationships on so many levels. The Ice Hockey Classic mixer was no exception, with the great hockey talent and Drake’s superb venue combining to create an outstanding corporate networking opportunity for many in Melbourne’s CBD, while concurrently raising support for a great charity – the StopConcussions Foundation. It was a privilege to attend, to meet new friends in Melbourne, to catch up with old friends, and to hang with NHL greats Darryl Sittler and Tiger Williams.”

The CACC would like to thank the StopConcussions Foundation, the AMCHAM, Drake International, the High Commission of Canada in Australia and the U.S. State Department for their support on this event and also Zonte’s Footsteps, a South Australian winery and Empire Liquor, the Australian distributor of Fuller’s Ales, who supplied the beverages for the evening.

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The 2017 Ice Hockey Classic raised awareness and funds for the StopConcussions Foundation in association with Nick Rushworth of Brain Injury Australia and Barry Munro of Shoot For A Cure.

The StopConcussions platform was founded by former European star Kerry Goulet and ex-NHL stars Keith and Wayne Primeau.

StopConcussions is a concussion / neurotrauma educational and awareness platform for all sports, to address the growing trend of concussions in sports. It is an educational portal that players, parents, coaches, and officials can visit to seek information regarding concussions, with the goal of becoming more aware and ultimately safer individuals in their respective sports.

Founded in 1986, Brain Injury Australia is the national peak advocacy organisation representing the needs of the over 700,000 Australians with a brain injury, their families and carers. It is also the central clearinghouse of information and gateway to nationwide referral for optimising their social and economic participation. Brain Injury Australia also drives multi-year public awareness campaigns devoted to: the leading cause of death and disability in children who have been abused, inflicted traumatic brain injury (sometimes called “shaken baby syndrome”); concussion in sport; the leading cause of head injury, falls - due to the ageing of our population; women, family violence and traumatic brain injury; and people with a brain injury in the criminal justice system (as many as 80 per cent of Australia's adult prisoners report brain injury).
Shoot for a Cure is a fundraising campaign of the Canadian Spinal Research Organization (CSRO), the American Spinal Research Organization (ASRO) and the StopConcussions Foundation, integrating professional and amateur sports/sporting events, corporate sponsorship and community partnerships, which includes other non-profits and non-governmental organizations. Our goal is to raise funds, increase awareness and assist in prevention and cure of neurotrauma injuries. Shoot for a Cure is an international campaign uniting neurotrauma communities around a common cause.

On June 15th, the CACC and AMCHAM, along with Piper Alderman, hosted some of the stars of the Ice Hockey Classic between Team Canada and Team USA in Sydney. Lucky Chamber members were able to network with each other and mingle with coaches, trainers, captains and players from both teams in a relaxed and personal setting. The mixer also raised funds for the StopConcussions Foundation.

Ms. Valerie Crites Fowler, Consul General of the United States of America (Sydney) attended the event and remarked, “The United States and Canada share more than the world’s longest peaceful border - we also share a passion for sports. And no sport better captures Canadian hearts and minds than hockey, with the United States trying hard to match our northern neighbors on the ice. As an ardent Detroit Red Wings fan, I’ve loved hockey as long as I can remember, and was delighted to see this terrific game brought to Australia, a country that fully shares North America’s enthusiasm for sports. The skill and sportsmanship of the players and coaches, each donating his time for the wonderful cause of the StopConcussions Foundation, impressed all who attended the games in Sydney and Melbourne. I was delighted the USA triumphed in Melbourne after going down to defeat in Sydney. Thanks to the CACC for their work in supporting the Ice Hockey Classic Mixer.”

PICTURE: Doug Carmichael (CACC Director) & Robert Hossary (AMCHAM)

After the event, Robert Hossary, General Manager - NSW & ACT, American Chamber of Commerce in Australia, acknowledged the warm welcome that AMCHAM members received at the CACC. He said, “It is important that the business community works together to help address important issues like StopConcussions. What better way of doing this than joining together to enjoy the Ice Hockey Challenge.”

PICTURE: Ice Hockey Classic Tour - Players, Coaches, Trainers

The CACC would like to thank the StopConcussions Foundation, AMCHAM, Piper Alderman, the Canadian Consulate and the U.S. State Department for their support on this event and also Zonte’s Footsteps, a South Australian winery and Empire Liquor, the Australian distributor of Fuller’s Ales, who supplied the beverages for the evening.

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PICTURE: Canada Cup with some hockey fans!

The 2017 Ice Hockey Classic raised awareness and funds for the StopConcussions Foundation in association with Nick Rushworth of Brain Injury Australia and Barry Munro of Shoot For A Cure.

The StopConcussions platform was founded by former European star Kerry Goulet and ex-NHL stars Keith and Wayne Primeau.

StopConcussions is a concussion / neurotrauma educational and awareness platform for all sports, to address the growing trend of concussions in sports. It is an educational portal that players, parents, coaches, and officials can visit to seek information regarding concussions, with the goal of becoming more aware and ultimately safer individuals in their respective sports.

Founded in 1986, Brain Injury Australia is the national peak advocacy organisation representing the needs of the over 700,000 Australians with a brain injury, their families and carers. It is also the central clearinghouse of information and gateway to nationwide referral for optimising their social and economic participation. Brain Injury Australia also drives multi-year public awareness campaigns devoted to: the leading cause of death and disability in children who have been abused, inflicted traumatic brain injury (sometimes called “shaken baby syndrome”); concussion in sport; the leading cause of head injury, falls - due to the ageing of our population; women, family violence and traumatic brain injury; and people with a brain injury in the criminal justice system (as many as 80 per cent of Australia's adult prisoners report brain injury).

Shoot for a Cure is a fundraising campaign of the Canadian Spinal Research Organization (CSRO), the American Spinal Research Organization (ASRO) and the StopConcussions Foundation, integrating professional and amateur sports/sporting events, corporate sponsorship and community partnerships, which includes other non-profits and non-governmental organizations. Our goal is to raise funds, increase awareness and assist in prevention and cure of neurotrauma injuries. Shoot for a Cure is an international campaign uniting neurotrauma communities around a common cause.

The last 18 months have been among the most challenging for the energy sector since the National Electricity Market was established nearly 20 years ago, according to the head of the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).

AER Chair Paula Conboy was addressing CACC members at a recent function hosted by RBC Capital Markets in Sydney where she shone some light on the often complex industry and explained how the AER was now adjusting the sector’s regulatory framework to ensure it is “fit for the future.”

She talked about the role of the AER and how it regulates the market and reports to government, industry and consumers on the status of the energy sector.

The AER monitors the wholesale electricity and gas markets to ensure energy companies comply with the legislation and rules, taking enforcement action where needed, regulates retail energy markets around the country (with the exception of Victoria), and provides retail price comparisons for consumers through its Energy Made Easy website to help them find the best energy solutions for their needs.

Ms. Conboy is known for her determination to help consumers get a better deal when it comes to their household energy bills.

“Our work is guided by our energy objectives which are to promote economic efficiency in the long-term interests of consumers. The energy objectives include a number of variables – price, quality, safety, reliability and security of supply – we focus on these variables and these alone,” she said.

She said competition and consumer choice lead to better outcomes for everyone rather than overly prescriptive regulation and an incentive approach to the market yields more efficient outcomes. “Competition where possible, regulation where necessary,” she told the audience.

Rapid evolution in the industry like new business models for selling energy, a tightening of supply and soaring energy bills were a concern, prompting the organisation to look at where the lines should be drawn and how the AER can best ensure the monopoly components are regulated effectively.

She reviewed the various guidelines the AER had established in the last two years with the audience, including a consumer engagement guideline for network service providers to implement consumer engagement strategies that are effective for all stakeholders.

The AER will be consulting widely with the sector on areas where the regulatory framework may need to evolve, examining which services they will regulate and the broad nature of its current regulatory arrangements. [note that the CCP is already established and forms part of our revenue determination processes. We hold public forums, release issues papers and call for submissions to most of our reviews – be they guidelines or revenue resets]

Ms Conboy said the regulatory framework was resilient and would be able to accommodate changes and emerging issues.

Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” And such was the collective attitude of those who attended the CACC’s recent Melbourne Mixer, hosted by Piper Alderman in Melbourne on Tuesday, 30 May.

The Melbourne Mixer brought together those who had expressed a keen interest in championing the CACC’s mission in the Melbourne market.

On the night, Brian Hansen, CACC Director and President welcomed the group of approximately 25 Melburnians by sharing highlights of the CACC’s history as well as the vision for the organisation. “In particular, the importance of building and, fostering business opportunities between Australia and Canada, from the Melbourne perspective,” Brian said.

Also welcoming the group was Melbourne-based CACC Director, Mike McGrath. “In establishing the CACC’s presence in Melbourne, we, as a non profit organisation have faced and overcome a number of challenges. The presence of all of you here tonight is testimony to the CACC’s future success in the Melbourne market.

Having arrived from Canada just hours before the gathering were special guests StopConcussions’s Co-Founder and Ambassador Kerry Goulet along with Toni Mill, StopConcussions’s Logistics & Player Relations.

The evening was rounded out by Melissa Wharton, CACC’s General Manager, Secretariat, “Since our call out for volunteers at our event last December, we received considerable interest from a number of people Melbourne, who have really propelled the Board’s approval of the Melbourne branch. And, I am just delighted to personally meet this great group of local leaders who are committed to supporting the work of the CACC in Melbourne,” she said.

The next step in the evolution of the CACC’s presence in Melbourne will see the Melbourne Committee formally coming together in July. “I look forward to sharing news about the great progress of the Melbourne Committee in the months to come,” said Melissa.